Umbrella



H. GOLDMAN UMBRELLA May 5, 1936.

Original Filed Oct. 9, 1955 Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES UMBRELLA Harry Goldman, Chicago, Ill.

Continuation of application Serial No. 44,218,

October 9, .1935. 1936, Serial No. 70,679

This application March 24,

2 Claims. (Cl. 135-33) This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 10,503, filed March 11, 1935, and of my application Serial No. 26,104 filed June 12, 1935 (now Patent No. 2,017,753,

dated October 15, 1935) and a continuation of my agpication Serial No. 44,218, filed October 9, 1 3

The present invention is directed to an umbrella (or parasol) having a covering of chemicalized silk of extreme thinness and fineness, which is semi-transparent, smooth, tough, glossy and water-repellant. In the use of such material for umbrellas, it may be necessary to make provision for the reinforcement of the material at the points where it is secured to the caps which are fitted to the ends of the umbrella ribs in order to prevent fraying or tearing of the material and to reinforce against wear by contact with the rib surfaces at these points. Means for such a purpose are disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 2,017,753 aforesaid. In the present case, however, I am concerned mainlywith the material itself that serves as a covering for an umbrella, all as will hereinafter appear.

Further objects and details will appear from a description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an umbrella embodying the features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of one of the triangular sections of the covering material for the umbrella; Fig. 3 is, a greatly magnified view in elevation of a fragment of the covering material; and Fig. 4 is a view in'section, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The covering C for the umbrella may be cut in the usual form of triangular sections I0, one of which, separated from the others, is shown in Fig. 2. These sections are joined by seams ll along their meeting edges, and along the outer margins may be provided with marginal seams l2.

The umbrella frame may comprise the usual stick S, the tubular slide or runner I4, and the radiating braces l5, which connect with the ribs l6. As shown, each of the ribs is provided at its end with a cap l1, preferably of composition material, provided with a socket adapting it for fitting over the reduced cylindrical end of a rib, each of which, according to usual practice, may be of channel formation except at its outer end, with the open edges of the channel presented inwardly, and the arched end of. the channel presented outwardlyfor contact with the fabric. As by means which are disclosed in my aforesaid Patent No. 2,017,753, each cap may be afiixed to the flexible covering, thereby securing the covering taut upon the umbrella frame.

The textile fabric which is comprised in the umbrella of this invention may be a light weight, translucent silk of thin open weave, dyed, if de- 5 sired, to a selected color, and subjected to a chemical treatment in a bath of film forming composition which impregnates the fibers of the fabric and renders it smooth, tough, glossy and water-resistant, acts as a preservative against 10 deterioration of the silk fibers, and preserves, if not enhances, its property of translucency.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, certain special features of the covering material will now be pointed out. The fabric may be woven in whole 3 or in part from single fibrous strands which may be untwisted and unitary in character. The warp strands a, as viewed in Fig. 4, may be grouped in multiple relation, being bundled or arranged side by side so as to lie in a single plane when the material is flat. The woof. strands b may also be similarly formed. Between the several strands in each group no twisting or intermeshing is required. By reason of this discon nected relationship there need be no appreciable 25 overlapping or crossing (except where the warp and. woof strands pass each other), with the consequence that the fabric still remains exceedingly thin, so thin, in fact as to be translucent to a marked degree. Either or both sets of strands 30 are desirably formed as above described, and the weave is open to an extent sufiicient to afford relatively large meshes or interstices through which light may freely pass.

The film forming composition c with which 35 such a fabric is processed forms a coating over each group of strands and also a web across each mesh or interstice between the warp and woof strands. The coating which is itself transparent or translucent will reveal therethrough, upon 40 close inspection, the structural texture of the fabric material. Without such a coating, as indicated in the darker patch on Fig. 2, the texture of the fabric is even more easily discernible, although, because of the fineness of the strands, 45 the general appearance is that of a surface devoid of high or low lights. a

The processing composition, as already indicated, extends continuously over both surfaces of the material in the form of a film as well as 59 therebetween. It thus smoothes these surfaces to a degree evengreater than before. The fabric thus produced is relatively inelastic in the direction of either set of strands, but may be stretched appreciably on the bias, either way, 55

due to displacement of the strands from their normal symmetrical positions. The protective coating of film forming composition yields readily in response to any such pulling force, and, upon release, assists the displaced strands to resume their former symmetrical positions. Advantage is taken of this in the application of the covering material to the frame of the umbrella. As indicated in Fig. 2, each triangular section of material is so cut that one set of strands will lie parallel to its base, and the other set perpendic-' ular thereto. The slanting edges of each section, 1. e., the edges which are joined by seams with adjacent edges of proximate sections and lie along the umbrella ribs I6, cut across both sets of strands. There is accordingly a greater elasticity in line with the ribs than elsewhere. The result of this is a radial resistance which is greatest midway between the ribs of the applied covering.

-By reason of this tension, the covering, when taut, is inwardly flexed transversely between the ribs (see Fig. 1). I aflix to the covering adjacent the outer ends of the seams the socketed caps I! and fit them over the tips of the ribs of the umbrella frame by stretching the covering lengthwise of its seams. As just explained, the relatively inelastic covering may yield along the bias of its several sections to a slight extent, enough to permit of the application of the caps to the rib tips whereby the covering is removably secured in place upon the umbrella frame.

The textile structure of the present covering is substantially inelastic in response to forces which proceed in the direction of either set of strands. The filmy coating of composition material does not readily crack or crinkle, and is not brittle. By reason of its extreme fineness and thinness the covering may have to be reinforced at the tips of the ribs to prevent tearing. The filmy coating, however, preserves the original strength of the silk and prevents it from becoming brittle, so that it is practicable, when so reinforced, to employ much finer and thinner silk than could be employed if the silk were utilized in its natural condition. Such a coating serves to bind the fibers together so that any elasticity it may normally have is, materially reduced, and the tendency of the material to become stretched, warped or distorted, is practically eliminated. As a result, the umbrella covering of my invention, when properly fitted and reinforced in the manner described, will be drawn out smoothly and evenly upon the frame when the umbrella is opened, and will maintain its taut condition throughout a long period of use.

The impregnation of the fabric renders the texture practically indiscernible save on close inspection. The processing material is rendered impervious to the passage of water, as by the addition of China oil to the treating composition, and it presents a continuous unbroken surface as distinguished from the discontinuous surface presented by an ordinary untreated woven fabric. Furthermore, on account of its very thin and smooth character, the material may be rolled tightly into a small compass when the umbrella is closed, and the lightness and delicate character and semi-transparent quality of the covering render the umbrella highly desirable as a sunshade as well as a protection against ram.

Water will not adhere to the fabric, so that in the event the umbrella becomes wet, the surface water can be readily shaken oil? when the umbrella is closed, which, of course, prevents dripping from the umbrella when closed and prevents rotting of the fabric occasioned by the retention of moisture.

I claim: 1. In an umbrella having radial ribs, 9. coveri therefor made up of triangular sections of material each having a base extending between the tips of adjacent ribs and connected by seams with adjacent sections substantially in line with the ribs, the covering being formed of a textile material in whose structure are comprised two sets of relatively inelastic fibrous closely' adjacent strands disposed in groups which are relatively Widely spaced, there being a translucent relatively elastic composition applied to the strand fibers and extending between themand the intervening meshes in the form of a web and covering over the fibers on all sides to provide for the textile material a protecting film on each of its opposite surfaces, the two sets of fibrous strands being interwoven with each other, one set being disposed parallel to the base of each triangular section of the covering and the other set being disposed perpendicular thereto in. each section whereby each covering section is rendered elastic along its bias, so as to elastically yield lengthwise along its seams only and flex inwardly transversely between the ribs where resistance to stretch is greatest when stretched taut by said ribs.

2. In an umbrella having radial ribs, a. covering therefor made up of triangular sections of material each having a base extending between the tips of adjacent ribs and connected by seams with adjacent sections substantially in. line with the 1 ribs, the covering being formed of a textile material'in whose structure are comprised two sets of relatively inelastic single fibrous closely adjacent strands disposed side by side in groups which are relatively widely spaced, there being a translucent relatively elastic composition applied to the strand fibers and extending between them and the intervening meshes in the form of a web and covering over the fibers on all sides to provide for the textile material a protecting film on each of its opposite surfaces, the two sets of fibrous strands being interwoven with each other,

one set being disposed parallel to the base of each triangular section of the covering and the other set being disposedperpendicular thereto in each section whereby each covering section is rendered elastic along its bias, so as to elastically yield lengthwise along its seams only and flex inwardly transversely between the ribs where resistance to stretch is greatest when stretched taurt by said ribs.

HARRY GOLDMAN. 

